Bucket List

So I was talking with someone last night, and the topic of my illness came up. She suggested that I make up a bucket list of all the things I'd like to do. I know I already have one somewhere on this blog, but I thought I'd make a newer, more up to date one. I'm including some things that I've already done, so I can cross some things off already and feel accomplished.

So here goes.

1. Travel more.
2. Say yes to more things.
3. Draw more.
4. Write more.
5. See family & friends, particularly the ones who are further away than others.
6. Go to a ceilidh.
7. Meet Neil Gaiman.
8. Write a book, not necessarily for publishing but just so I can say I've written one.
9. Learn Blender.
10. Walk more.
11. Spend more time outside.
12. Have an obscene amount of sex.
13. Learn an instrument.
14. Take a camera to more places.
15. Spend more time on original ideas.
16. Buy a 3D printer.
17. Actually keep a phone.
18. Go to a comic convention in costume.
19. Post a full animation onto Youtube.
20. Play Cards Against Humanity. 
21. Stop making excuses and actually do things.
22. Cook more.
23. Remember that I am ill and there are times I can't do what other people can. But on the flip side, that is not my whole existence. Find the proper balance.
24. Be happier.
25. Spend more time offline.
26. Learn to paint.
27. Go bungee jumping and sky diving.
28. Actually organise my DVDs properly.
29. Start the 3D printing business.
30. find a lovely girlfriend. 

And that's it. 30 things that I want to do.

Well, 27 if you want to be picky. And yes, as I grow up more, I shall update this, both with strike-outs and more entries, because I'm intending to live for a good long time and I need a few more goals.

Live Long and Prosper

So, for the hell of it, I decided to write down the last thought I'd ever have as a 25 year old, and my first as a 26 year old.

They were...

"Cheese" - which is normal for me. I spend a not inconsiderate amount of time thinking about cheese. 

And

"Brent Spiner can sing, but his cover of "Goodnight, Sweetheart" is not his best work" which makes sense if you know that I was listening to it as the clock struck midnight. 

So there you have it. A tiny insight into my mind.

Live long and prosper

Without a big hoo-ha, I've disabled my OK Cupid account.

Just disabled, mind, not deleted. I am probably not done with online dating, I'm just taking a break from it. Unless something miraculous happens and I meet someone in the real world without the aid of the internet, I'm fairly certain that online is my best chance of meeting someone.

But at the moment, I'm tired. And I need a break. 

So I've disabled my account, while I clear my head of some things, sort some other things out and generally get myself in order. Just some stuff like that.

Live Long and Prosper

So I had a blog post...

So I wrote a blog entry before that announcement. It told the story of last Saturday's bonfire party. It was about how we first arrived, what was eaten, who we loved and who we (I) hated and, most importantly of all, just how many people John managed to insult before we were ushered out of the house, possibly forever.

It was a true piece of beauty.

Then I got a stupid idea that I should do an announcement post with the "Surprise, Bitches" meme first. So after turning this beautiful, amazing first blog back post into a draft, I did some searching, found an appropriate use of the meme and made the announcement post.

Then I accidentally deleted all the draft entries, since it's an automatic reaction with my emails. 

Will I ever rewrite that entry? Probably not. Will I let that one slip-up stop me writing on here more? Probably not.

So until next time, loyal readers.

Live Long and Prosper

UPDATE: I was reading through some of my old entries, and noticed that while I had mentioned having interviews, I didn't say anything about whether or not I had gotten either job.

I didn't. The one at Victoria Hall went to someone else. But I got a lovely phone call back, saying how it was a tough choice, that everyone had given a really good interview and also received some pointers on doing better. This took some of the sting out of the whole thing.

The other one, however, didn't hire anyone. As it turned out, the day after the interviews, they decided that they really only needed one assistant, so the second position was axed. Last time I checked, both Workable and the people who ran the course I had been on were looking into it.

I was put onto a brief placement, but by that point, the long hours were taking their toll and by the second week, I had a minor fit and my advisor, Sue, decided that I should take some time off from both the program and from claiming Jobseekers. So now I'm employment support, resting up (still) and starting to try and learn Blender, a 3D modelling program, in order to either get on an animation course to learn more about 3D character design or just jump ahead and open a store on Etsy.

So how are you all?

An announcement

Yes, hopefully starting soon, more regular updates shall be coming from me to you. And just like Mr Holmes, no explanation for my absence shall be forthcoming.

Live Long and Prosper.

Why Michael O'Hare actually left Babylon 5

So two years ago, I wrote about Michael O'Hare's passing. 

As I mentioned in the above blog entry, Michael played Jeffrey Sinclair for the first season of Babylon 5 before his character was written out. He returned to the role a few times over the next two seasons before completing Sinclair's arc in the season three two parter War Without End, where it was revealed that he was, in fact, the Minbari holy figure Valen.

However, the reasons for why his character being written out were unclear. All that was known was that it was a decision mutually decided upon by O'Hare and JMS, B5's creator and main writer.

At least, they were until the Phoenix Convention in 2013.

There, JMS revealed exactly why Michael O'Hare left the show.

He had started having paranoid delusions, which progressively got worse and worse during the first half of filming. It had become harder for him to work, as his behaviour was affected. Michael sought treatment but he was afraid that, since he was the main character, an extended medical leave would result in Babylon 5's cancellation.  JMS offered to suspend production, but O'Hare refused. He didn't want to put so many people's jobs at risk. 

JMS agreed to keep his secret to protect his career and, in return, O'Hare completed the first season but was written out of the second so he could seek treatments. Though they were partially successful, he was never truly cured. 

When he returned for appearances in B5, JMS promised that he would keep O'Hare's secret to the grave. O'Hare instead made him promise to keep it to his grave. He felt that the fans of the show deserved to know the truth and hoped it would raise awareness for people suffering from mental health issues. 

On the 25th of May at the Phoenix Comicon and eight months after O'Hare's death, JMS fullfilled that promise.

Why am I mentioning this? For one reason, it's almost a year since that occurred. For another, I had neglected to mention it at the time I found out because I was still struggling to cope with balancing my social life and my work load. The third and main reason is this. 

I was looking through my blog and read my entry about O'Hare. I was horrified to realise I hadn't updated it. So I decided to correct that mistake and the article you've been reading is the result of that.

Live Long and Prosper

Interviews, interviews, interviews

So it's been a while since I posted, and that is my fault. Real life stuff got in the way for a while and so things got put on the side and, unfortunately, forgotten for a good long while. 

But instead of telling everyone about that, I'm going to talk about my day today and why it means I'm going to return to semi-regular blogging.

For the last month or so, I've been part of one program or another to get me back into work. The first was Workable, which deals with people who have disabilities and works to get them back into work. It was good, I met some excellent people who I will never see again (lol) and generally honed some skills and discovered some new ones. 

Then my advisor put me onto another, week-long course. It was also intended to get people into work, but it works with local employers to get them into work. They also give you training, which includes a mock interview and then give you at least one interview with employers. 

Today, I had two.

The first was an event manager assistant at Victoria Hall, which is literally a ten minute bus ride away from home. I met with two people, who asked me questions. It wasn't as bad as I thought, and we all actually had something of a laugh as we spoke. Personally, I feel it went very well. 

The second was for a position with Locally Grown. It's another government run project that deals with local people to get small business up and running. As with the events manager, I was early and made sure to go over some answers I'd considered and chatted with the other workers there.

Both interviews went well, but I think I did better at Victoria Hall. I got a bit flustered at my second interview, which I think was because it was at the end of my day. However, I shall find out on Tuesday what they thought about me and whether or not I actually got a job, or will be put into a talent pool.

That's all. Update done. How are you all?

Live Long and Prosper 

The Lion King

So a couple of weeks ago, I went to see the Lion King at the Alhambra theatre in Bradford.

It was awesome and I got a t-shirt!

Toddles!

PS - sorry for not updating this for a while...